


Full Moon

by Serie11



Category: Horizon: Zero Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: Established Relationship, F/F, Femslash February, Festivals, Fluff, Nora Customs, Post-Canon, Suggestive Themes, Worldbuilding
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-02
Updated: 2019-02-07
Packaged: 2019-10-20 19:47:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17628560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Serie11/pseuds/Serie11
Summary: Aloy arrives at Mother's Heart just in time for the full moon festival. Vala intends to show her all the ways the Nora can celebrate it.





	1. Festivals

Aloy slinks into Mother’s Heart as quietly as she can, not wanting to be seen. She’s covered head to toe in thick mud after a rather unfortunate mishap with a sawtooth, and she knows if anyone sees her in this state, she’ll never hear the end of it.

She’s halfway to the cabin she shares with Vala when Varl pops out of the space between two cabins, making her jump.

“Aloy!” he says, sounding glad as ever to see her. “I see you had a… productive few days.” He’s wearing the super serious expression he gets when he’s trying not to smile. Aloy hits his shoulder.

“Yeah, yeah, super productive,” she says.

“Did you leave any mud out there?” Varl asks, grinning now. “Just checking.”

“Haha, real funny,” Aloy says. “I would have taken a dip in the lake but I didn’t feel like wrestling with any of the machines guarding it.”

Varl nods. “Well, the fire should be roaring in our cabin, so if you can get there without being spotted, you can pretend this never happened.” He winks at her and then turns around to head back out into the open area of the village.

“Get there without being caught, right,” Aloy mutters. She continues to sneak through the grass, except for the stretch just outside the cabin where she has to run. She waits until there’s a break in the unusually large amount of people going back and forth in front of the cabin (there looks to be more than normal) and sprints up to her door, slamming it behind her.

Living in this cabin wasn’t meant to be a long term arrangement, and if you asked Aloy, she would say it’s just a place to sleep that’s out of the elements. But since she doesn’t like sleeping in the old cabin where she used to live with Rost, and Vala lives here, there’s really no question that this is probably the closest thing that Aloy has to a place called ‘home.’

Then again, Aloy spots someone by the fire who she would definitely call home. Vala pokes at the fire with a piece of metal, and a log falls quietly.

“Can you slam the door any harder, Varl?” she asks, exasperation in her voice. Aloy clears her throat, and Vala whirls.

“Aloy!” she says excitedly bounding over. She skids to a stop half a step away, both eyebrows raised as she takes in Aloy’s mud covered condition. “Well… you’re muddy, that’s for sure.”

“State the obvious, why don’t you?” Aloy says wryly. She heads over to the fire and grabs one of the larger bathing buckets by the side. “Could you possibly go out and fill this up with some water?”

Vala sighs, over the top. Aloy lifts an eyebrow. “Well… since I love you, I suppose I can,” she says cheekily, taking the bucket from Aloy and heading outside. Aloy gingerly takes her headpiece off and then her shoes, putting them to the side. She carefully places her Focus by her bed where it normally goes.

Vala comes back in with the bucket filled to the brim, and pours half of it into another bucket, which she then hangs over the fire. Aloy puts her hands into the first bucket and hisses at the cold, trying to get some mud off her hands.

“I can’t believe you came back only just in time, but then you’re a complete mess,” Vala laments.

“Came back in time for what?” Aloy asks.

“The full moon festival, of course,” Vala says. “This is the first one you’ve been to, right?”

Aloy vaguely remembers Vala telling her to come back by a certain day, but not the reason. Vala’s deadline is honestly the only reason she’s here now, or she wouldn’t have pushed to get back to the village in this state.

“Err, yes,” she says to cover up that she has no idea what’s going on.

“We’re supposed to dress nice and clean, and there’s no way you’re getting that clean, so strip off,” Vala says, hands on her hips. “You’ll have to wear something else.”

Aloy had already decided that, but Vala telling her to take her clothes off always sends a thrill of heat through her.

“Not like that,” Vala scolds when Aloy wriggles her eyebrows at her, though she’s covering her mouth with a hand to hide her smile. “We need to get you ready, pronto.”

Vala unlaces her skirt while Aloy struggles out of her top, dumping both by the fire. It will be a nightmare to clean, but she can do it later. Vala’s hands go to her hair and takes out the beads and plaits that she can while Aloy takes off the rest of her clothes, standing awkwardly in the mud-covered nude.

She edges forward so she can grab a cloth, and dips that in the water, Vala’s hands still in her hair. With her clothes gone, it’s much easier to try to get the dirt off, so she sets to rubbing off as much as she can. Vala dunks the beads she pulls out in the water, getting the mud off them before putting them near the fire.

“We’re gonna need another bucket,” Aloy mutters as she lets the dark brown water drip off her fingers.

“Here’s one I prepared earlier,” Vala says grandly, picking up the one from the fire. Aloy tests the water in that while Vala chucks the dirty water outside. It’s just on the edge of being too hot, but that’s a welcome feeling after trekking through the mud for the last few hours. The hot water takes off the next layer of dirt, and Aloy shivers when Vala grabs a cloth and starts wiping her back.

“How would you have cleaned all this off before?” she asks quietly.

“Skinny dipping in one of the mountain river runs,” Aloy says, grinning.

“That’s far too cold!”

“Exactly. Encourages you to be quick. Though I think I like the method I’ve got now.” Aloy leans into Vala’s touch.

Vala kisses the back of her neck. “I told you, we’ve got to get you ready fast.”

“I’m the fastest! I came first in the Proving – I bet I could come fast doing other things too.”

Vala wacks her with the cloth. “I’m being serious,” she giggles.

“Well that’s your own fault,” Aloy says. She sticks a leg in the bucket to scrub at it, which makes things far easier.

The door creaks open, and Aloy looks to it immediately, but it’s just Varl sticking one arm inside.

“Just me,” he calls. “I brought more water for the mud demon that’s currently invaded my cabin.”

“She’s _my_ mud demon, thank you very much,” Vala says. She goes and grabs the new bucket, and Aloy sticks her other leg in the warm but now dirty water. Vala uses the clean water to wipe the cloth over her back one more time. Aloy hisses at the icy cold water making it’s way down her spine, and yanks her leg out of the bucket. It’s pretty much clean.

“Dunk your head in this and I’ll wash out your hair,” Vala says. Vala puts the bucket behind her, so Aloy leans back awkwardly to try and accommodate her. But instead of staying here, Vala comes around and swings a leg over Aloy to straddle her, hands going to her hair.

Aloy makes a startled sound and nearly overturns the bucket, but Vala grabs it. The water is cold but her face is hot, and as Vala leans down to massage her scalp, she brushes their lips together. Aloy leans up into the kiss hungrily, but Vala doesn’t let her kiss her way into her mouth, instead moving to nibble just under Aloy’s jaw, her hands still working in her hair.

“You’re such a tease,” Aloy gasps as Vala bites her. “Do you want the whole village to see?”

“It’s the moon festival, a time for mates to be together,” Vala says mysteriously. “I’ve been waiting for you to come to one for ages, but you’re always away, doing other things. Well, tonight you’re _mine_ and you’re going to look so good that everyone else is going to be insanely jealous of me.”

“They should be jealous of me, having you all to myself,” Aloy sighs. Vala’s hands in her hair always make her want to purr.

“I love you too,” Vala says, kissing up her neck. Aloy grabs her hips and resists the urge to do anything but hold on. If she’s understanding things right, there’s going to be more than enough time for that later.

Vala gives her hair one last ruffle in the water, and then pulls Aloy up so they’re both sitting. Aloy doesn’t even care that she’s sitting in the middle of the floor naked with sopping wet hair dripping down her back, because Vala’s lips are back on hers and Vala is thumbing one of her nipples casually.

“Go and sit in front of the fire!” Vala says, standing up suddenly. Aloy wriggles back until the heat of the fire is licking at her skin uncomfortably, watching Vala move around the cabin.

“You look nice,” Aloy says, because it’s true – Vala isn’t wearing armour of any type, just an embroidered shirt over soft leggings. Her earring is shiny and gold and full of loops, something she would never wear normally.

“You will as well, as soon as I find you something,” Vala says, looking at the clothes she’s laid out on the bed.

“I can just wear my normal armour,” Aloy says, bringing her legs up under her chin so she can wrap her arms around them.

Vala pins her with a stare. “Not tonight! No one’s allowed to wear armour during a full moon festival. But, like always, I have something planned.”

Aloy has just remembered why she’s always taken pains to avoid the settlement around this time of month – she doesn’t like taking her armour off. Vala sees her expression and her face goes soft. She fetches a brush from the shelf and comes over.

“It’ll be fine – there hasn’t been any unusual machine activity lately, and no threats from humans since the invasion. It’s safe.”

“Right,” Aloy says, but she doesn’t even convince herself with her tone.

Vala starts brushing her hair, teasing out the knots slowly. “You’re allowed to relax here, you know. I’ve convinced everyone that you don’t need to be treated any differently because the All-Mother speaks to you, and the moon festival is exciting! I promise, it’ll be fun.”

Aloy is half sure that Vala knows that her hands in her hair make Aloy want to agree with everything she says.

“Besides, it’s almost winter – we have to be bundled up, anyway. I haven’t got anything too wild planned for you.”

Aloy lets out a breath and nods. She knows that Vala would never intentionally make her do something she would dislike, so she must think that Aloy will enjoy the festival. The last festival that she participated in was at Mother’s Heart, and while she had enjoyed it as much as she could while not knowing anyone, the memory was spoilt by everything that had happened the next day at the Proving.

Vala finished brushing her hair, and Aloy angles herself so that she dries as quickly as possible in front of the fire. The light licks at her skin and she watches the shadows it casts for a minute, before looking up at Vala.

The other woman is quietly watching her, eyes bright. Aloy crooks a smile at her, and Vala huffs, standing and grabbing the bowl of blue facepaint.

“Sit up so I can put this on,” Vala says, voice husky. Aloy sits cross legged as Vala dips her finger into the paint, looking at Aloy consideringly.

“Are you going to put your Mother’s Mark on?” Aloy asks as Vala leans forward.

“It’s yours, too,” Vala says disapprovingly. “And you only get away with not wearing it all the time because half the time you’re not around other Nora.” She sketches the outline of the triangle over Aloy’s eye. Aloy leans forward to make it easier for her. “And the other half, the Nora forgive you because you’re chosen by the All-Mother.”

“It’s pretty resistant to the elements, but it’s not like I’m around people all the time to help me put it on,” Aloy says.

“Which is why I’m putting it on now,” Vala tells her.

“What about you?” Aloy asks, because unusually, Vala’s own face is bare.

“You have to paint it on,” Vala says.

“Okay.” Aloy closes her eyes and Vala lightly paints over her eyelid. Vala blows on it gently to help set it, and after a few seconds Aloy opens her eyes. Vala hands over the bowl, and Aloy pushes back her dark hair so none of it will get caught in the paint.

“So is there anything else I need to know for tonight?” Aloy asks wryly. She carefully draws the line down the side of Vala’s face, and then the top of the triangle, making the lines as straight as she can.

“Ahh, I want to keep most of it a surprise,” Vala says, amused. “Just stick with me and you’ll be fine.”

“Sure,” Aloy says, keeping her fingers light as she fills in the triangle. She blows on the paint to dry it, and Vala takes the bowl from her. Aloy makes a cut off sound of warning as Vala dips her finger back in and then paints it over her lips.

Vala leans over and kisses her. Aloy hasn’t tasted the paint before – it’s chalky and bitter. Vala hooks her arms over Aloy’s shoulders and Aloy sighs into the kiss. Kissing Vala always makes her feel warm and wanted.

Vala leans back and blows on Aloy’s lips.

“Blue lips?” Aloy asks, lifting an eyebrow and waiting for an answer.

“They’re to show who’s taken,” Vala murmurs. “Blue lips means that they’re already mated.”

“Oh,” Aloy says, bringing a finger up to touch her lower lip lightly. “I thought you only used the paint for the Mother’s Mark.”

“There’s another use for it again tonight,” Vala says. She trails her hand without the paint down Aloy’s neck, to trace a complicated series of swirls on her belly. “We believe that a child conceived on the full moon is blessed by the All Mother. There’s a fertility sign I could paint on you, but we would have little use for it.”

“Yeah,” Aloy says breathily. Vala’s hand hasn’t moved from low on her stomach.

Vala smiles at her, soft and sweet. Aloy leans over to kiss her again, but Vala holds up a hand between them.

“I told you, we have to hurry,” she laughs. “If you’re dry, then go and get dressed.”

“I don’t know, I think I’m still pretty wet,” Aloy says casually.

Vala wacks her shoulder, still grinning. “Well then cool off! If you’re having trouble with that, I can wait outside.”

“No,” Aloy says. She stands up. Her hair is still fairly wet, but it’s going to take too long to dry it completely. “Don’t leave my sight.”

Vala tugs her over, wrapping her arms around her waist. “I would never,” she promises, kissing Aloy’s nose. “Now come on! I want to show you everything.”

“Okay,” Aloy says, grabbing her hand. 


	2. Childhood

There’s a touch of snow in the air outside, the smallest of snowflakes falling from the sky. It’s enough to have built up little drifts on the sides of pathways while the pathways themselves remain clear, and it’s enough so that Aloy can see the white of the snow in Vala’s hair. It’s so different to the sweltering heat of the Carja desert that Aloy just has to pause for a moment to sink it in. This is what she’s used to. This is what she’s misses when she’s travelling.

She’s wearing the outfit that Vala had picked out for her – a longer skirt than one she would normally wear over soft leggings and a shirt that’s embroidered and designed and has beads sown into it. Aloy isn’t sure how she feels about wearing it, but since everyone else seems to be wearing something similar at least she doesn’t stick out by wearing her normal clothes. Indeed, she blends in enough with her blue facepaint and clothes that only about half the people passing by recognise her as the Nora’s Anointed.

Mother’s Heart had been the village that had been the least touched by the invasion, so it still looks like it did two years ago when Aloy ran in the Proving. Even so, being here is surreal – when she’s reminded of the amount of time that has passed, it feels like much shorter than it should. She’s learned and grown so much since setting foot here all those moons ago. Surely it should have changed as well, alongside her. But it hasn’t – people still sit around the warm fires telling stories, children run up and down the pathways, screeching in delight as they slip and slide on the ice. Nora Mothers recite lore and tales to the small crowds of people who are listening. What is different is the fact that Aloy is no longer traversing this path alone. Vala has her arm tucked into her own, and together they’re slowly meandering along the paths of the village, taking in the sights.

Vala sighs. “It’s good to see that we can still celebrate the moon festival. Even though the rebuilding efforts are still going on, we deserve to have some fun every now and then.”

Aloy steps to the side as two children sprint past, intent on catching another. “Well, it certainly looks like they’re enjoying themselves.”

Vala grins at her. “As they should! Kids should have the opportunity to run and play! It’s why we braves go out and fight – so the people in the villages can be safe and happy.

Aloy leans into her space. “You do a good job of it, if this is any evidence.”

Vala’s eyes go soft. “Yeah. Everyone deserves to have fun at the moon festival. Now come on, I want to show you things!”

Vala leads her down to an area that Aloy remembers as being mostly unused, except today there’s people milling around everywhere. She spots Teb in one corner haggling with someone who is trying to buy something off him, and other stitchers she knows with various materials around them. The goods they have out in front of them look different than normal. Aloy can’t even see one piece of armour in the whole area.

“We don’t make or trade anything terribly practical during the moon festival,” Vala says. “Pretty things, things we made because we wanted to – that’s what gets traded.”

Intrigued, Aloy follows Vala as they walk around and talk to the people who are offering goods to display. Vala is right – there isn’t any armour to be seen, and the clothes that are here have bright patterns of embroidery and bold designs and strange cuts. Vala picks out a new shirt that she likes and Aloy secretly buys her a new earring that she thinks she’ll adore. She’s always wondered where Vala got her earrings from – she supposes she has her answer now.

When they get around to where Teb is sitting, he grins up at them. “Aloy! Vala! My two favourite customers.”

Aloy huffs. “You only say that because I go through so much armour.”

Teb’s eyes twinkle. “Maybe. But you do also bring me interesting trinkets and Carja fabric, so don’t sell yourself short.”

“Have you got anything interesting to show off?” Vala asks.

“Well, now that you ask,” Teb says. Aloy looks closer at the fabric that he’s presiding over. It reminds her of the gear that he gave her all that time ago when she was first setting off on her adventure, the colours and patterns unique to him. Some of them have rings of metal sown into the fabric. Teb picks it up and it becomes a dress. When he shakes it, the metal rings chime against each other, sweet to the ear.

“It took my _forever_ to find metal that had a nice sound when they hit each other,” Teb says. “So I’m particularly proud of this one.”

“And if you were dancing or running, it would make the sounds!” Vala marvels. “That’s such a good idea. No one would be able to take their eyes off of you.”

Teb smiles widely. “Yes, that was the idea. I’ve been trying new dyes as well, but well, most of them didn’t turn out that well. That’s why I don’t have much to show this moon festival.”

“Trying new things doesn’t always end in success, but the chance that it can means that you should continue to try,” Aloy says, her voice going a little shaky. It’s something that Rost used to say to her when she was a child. Even now, the reminder of his absence still makes her chest ache.

Teb nods in agreement. “I like to try out new things. When it does turn out well, that makes it all worth it.”

“How much do you want for it?” Vala asks.

Teb and Vala haggle good naturedly over the price, which amusingly is Vala trying to offer a higher price than Teb is asking for. Aloy takes her time with feeling Teb’s different fabrics, noting the silk of the Carja that she’d brought him and how it’s used alongside the more traditional Nora cloth.

Teb and Vala finally reach an agreement over the price of the dress and Vala tucks it under her arm. “Thank you!” she says cheerily.

“Go and enjoy the rest of the festival,” Teb says, making a shooing motion. “And I’d just like to say that you both look quite fetching in all your blue.”

Aloy ducks her head to hide her blush and Vala leans into her side happily. “Thanks, Teb,” Aloy says. “We’ll see you around.”

Seeing this side of the Nora is strange – Aloy is so used to all of them being terribly practical, but no one can be that way forever. She can definitely see how the moon festival would let the people have fun and create things that are silly and strange and creative.

“The moon festivals always remind me of when I was younger, because it was usually the only time Varl and mother would definitely be in the village. Other times they would be out and about, well when Varl became a brave of course. But the moon festival… was just time for us to be a family.”

Aloy bumps against her comfortingly. “Well, Varl is around somewhere, but I haven’t seen Sona yet.”

“She’ll be helping with the moon welcoming preparations,” Vala says. She looks up at the sky and narrows her eyes. “Actually, that should be soon – we should head up the top to the welcoming area.”

“Is that where the stage is?” Aloy asks.

“Yep,” Vala confirms. As she looks around, Aloy notices that most people are walking in the same direction now, all headed up the path to the top of the village.

“Let’s go then,” Aloy says, putting a hand on Vala’s lower back to steer her towards the path and up to where everywhere else is going.


End file.
